Mark Thompson refuses to pay $30,000 fine over Essendon doping scandal

BOMBERS coach Mark Thompson has thrown down the gauntlet to the AFL, refusing to pay his $30,000 fine over footy’s supplements scandal.

ESSENDON TRAINING

BOMBERS coach Mark Thompson has thrown down the gauntlet to the AFL, refusing to pay his $30,000 fine over footy’s supplements scandal.

The Herald Sun can reveal Thompson has written to AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan to tell him he does not intend to stump up the cash.

In a direct challenge to the AFL’s authority, Thompson says the fine is null and void because the league breached a “non-disparagement” agreement.

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Thompson has already ignored several requests to pay the fine, imposed by the AFL Commission last August and which he believes is not due until October.

The dual premiership coach was understood to have been awaiting the outcome of Essendon’s Federal Court challenge to the joint AFL-Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation before deciding whether to pay the fine.

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But after statements by AFL chief medical officer Dr Peter Harcourt emerged this week, Thompson became incensed.

In court on Wednesday, details emerged of a video of an address by Dr Harcourt in Zurich last November, in which he said the league had sent specimens from Essendon players to Germany for testing in 2012 — months before the club “self-reported” to the AFL and ASADA.

“There was shocking corporate governance over the team … the leadership within the club were ex-players who were icons of the game,” Harcourt also told the anti-doping conference.

“And I think this intimidated a number of management staff.”

Thompson believes the Harcourt comments were in breach of a non-disparagement clause set out in settlement deeds agreed by the AFL and those it had charged last year.

He also believes Dr Harcourt’s statements could be defamatory by implying he was crazy and engaged in shocking behaviour.

“I’m in line with the club. It’s pretty poor, a poor reflection,” Thompson said yesterday.

“An apology — what does that mean? Nothing. The damage has been done already.”

The Bombers were dramatically booted from last year’s AFL finals, stripped of draft picks and fined $2 million as punishment for the club’s 2012 supplements program.

Thompson was fined $30,000, Hird suspended for 12 months, and football boss Danny Corcoran outed for four months.

All charges against club doctor Bruce Reid were dropped after he launched a Supreme Court challenge.

The drugs stoush returned yesterday to the Federal Court, where the Bombers and Hird are fighting to have the joint AFL-ASADA investigation into the club declared unlawful.

A three-day trial will begin on August 11.

Justice John Middleton yesterday made orders preventing the revelation of the identities of 34 former and current Bombers.